Control apparatus

ABSTRACT

609,228. Radio apparatus. COLLINS RADIO CO. Jan. 1, 1946, No. 64. Convention date, Jan. 12, 1945. [Class 40 (v)] [Also in Group XXXVII] In a remote control arrangement providing a number of alternative control units, operation of any unit renders the rest inoperative. Each unit comprises a gain control 12, a channel selector switch 10, a C.W., M.C.W. and &#39;phone selector switch 11, and a control switch 13. Corresponding leads C from the individual units are connected in parallel. The control switch 13 (see Group XXXVII) closes the corresponding pairs of contacts 20a-d, 21a-d, when rotated to &#34; ON,&#34; being then held by the latch 23 and catch 24. In passing from &#34; OFF &#34; to &#34; ON &#34; the arm 20c momentarily engages an intermediate contact 21e, interconnecting the lines 26, 28, and energizing via lines 26, 27 catch release magnets 25 in all units. Any other unit in &#34; ON &#34; position is returned by a spring 23 to &#34; OFF,&#34; while the switch 13 being manually operated latches &#34; ON &#34; when fully rotated.

Jan. l5, 1952 R. H. oLsoN 2,582,270

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 12, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET l o o o /r o O o Power FaQ/0' Lia/@ggg y/gvra UFF 0N a// /\`l '1 (i/@ //5 l fly z3 ZF Jan. 15, 1952 R. H. opsoN CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sl-{EETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 12. '1945 ffy Patented Jan. l5, 1952 CONTROL APPARATUS Roy H. Olson, Marion, Iowa, assignor to Collins Radio Company, a corporation of Iowa Application January 12, 1945, Serial No. 572,539

(Cl. Z50-20) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to control apparatus, and more particularly to an arrangement providing remote control of radio apparatus.

One feature of this invention is that it provides improved remote control for radio apparatus desired to be controlled from a plurality of spaced points; another feature of this invention is that it provides means for obtaining exclusive control of radio apparatus from a remote point regardless of the condition of other remote control units; still another feature of this invention is that any desired number of remote control units can be employed in a system without the redesign of the control apparatus or the addition oi' any components thereto; yet another feature of this invention is that there is no possibility of conflict of control from remote points, rendering any one control unit operative automatically rendering all other control units inoperative; a further feature of this invention is that no control units except the one in use draw power from the power source; and still a further feature of this invention is that it provides a latch with both manual and electrical release, Other features and advantages oi this invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a simple schematic illustration of an installation embodying my invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the panel of one of the control units shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a circuit diagram, partly schematic, of one of my control unit arrangements; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the latching switch embodied in each control unit for rendering it operative or inoperative to control the controlled apparatus, as radio equipment; Figure 5 is a frontV elevational view of the switch shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Figure 4; Figure 'l is a back elevational view of the switch, particularly showing the contacts or switch means proper; Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view along the line 8-8 oi' Figure 6; Figure 9 is a sectional view along the line 9 9 of Figure 6; and Figure 10 is a sectional view along the line Ill-l of Figure 6.

There are certain situations where it is desirable to be able to control a piece of apparatus in a desired manner from any oi a plurality of control units in spaced points. Such an arrangement is desirable, for example, in connection with the radio apparatus of a mobile vehicle, and my invention will be described in connection with a remote control system as designed for control of radio apparatus in a large airplane, as a bomber, although it will be understood that my invention is capable of a wide number of other uses It has heretofore been customary in bombers,y

for example, to have an arrangement such that the radio apparatus may be operated by the radio man or by the pilot, the radio man usually eiecting his control right at the apparatus and the pilot operating through a remote control unit which is operative only when the radio man has thrown a switch to cut out his local control. This has a number of disadvantages, and I have devised and am here disclosing and claiming a remote control system, and a latching switch for the control units thereof, such that any desired number of control units can be located throughout the airplane, and any one of such units can take over the control of the radio apparatus regardless of the situation at the radio apparatusl or at any other control unit.

In an installation embodying my invention, for example, the pilot might have one remote control unit, the navigator another remote control unit, and a gunner toward the rear of the plane still another remote control unit. In fact, any desired number of control units can be hooked into the control cable in my arrangement, and a half dozen or more units may be scattered throughout a single airplane if desired. In any case, any person desiring to take over control of the radio apparatus need only turn the switch on his control unit to "on position, this not only rendering his control unit operative to control apparatus but also rendering all other control units inoperative (even though the switches thereof may have been left in the "on position). This is accomplished without the necessity of any complicated wiring arrangement for enabling one control unit to supersede a control unit rendered operative earlier but by a simple latching switch in each control unit which is adapted to be electrically turned to off position whenever any other control switch is turned to on position. In the normal bomber installation the radio apparatus is hooked into the intercommunication system in such a way that it forms a background of low audibility in the intercommunication units, so that everyone in the plane knows whether anyone is using the radio apparatus, and on which channel, at any particular time. Moreover, under the discipline of a trained bomber crew, anyone who wanted to take control of the radio apparatus away from the pilot or radio man would rst request permission so to do over the intercommunication system, so that there would be no danger of improper handling of the radio apparatus under normal conditions. If the radio man or anyone else is injured, however, the present installation enables anyone in the plane to take over control of the radio apparatus instantaneously without being thwarted by the position of the controls at the radio apparatus or at some other remote control unit.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure l, the radio apparatus A (as for example a radio receiver) and its power supply B would normally be located in a radio compartmentJ or portion of the plane immediately behind the pilots cockpit. A cable C of an appropriate number of wires (here shown as I1) provides operative circuit connections between the radio apparatus and power supply and a plurality of remote control units here shown as three and identified as D, E and F. Each of the remote control units is identical with the others, and accordingly only one such unit will be described in detail.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the unit D is shown as having a channel selector switch l manually operated by the knob Illa; a switch arrangement II for conditioning the radio apparatus for the type of signal to be received as C. W., phone or M. C. W., this being manually operated by the knob IIa; a volume control rheostat I2 operated by the knob Iza; and

a latching oil and on switch I3 for rendering the control unit operative or inoperative to control the radio apparatus, this switch being adapted to be manually operated by the switch 13a. This switch is illustrated schematically in Figure 3 and in full structural detail in Figures 4-10. Before turning to these latter figures to describe the details of construction, the general principles of operation and construction of the latching switch will be described with reference to Figure 3.

The switch means or switch proper is here shown as comprising a rotatable switch element 20 having four contact fingers 20w-d adapted to cooperate with a plurality of corresponding xed contacts 2Ia-d and an additional contact 2Ie. The switch is shown in its off position, rotation of the knob i3d in a clockwise direction serving to move the switch to on position, in which case the contact fingers 20a-d rest on the fixed contacts 2 Ilz-d. In moving from the off position shown to the on position it will be noted that the switch finger 20c momentarily engages the additional Contact 2 Ie, this serving to energize a release circuit for returning the switch of any other control unit to off position if it is in on position. A spring 22 serves to bias the switch means toward off position, as shown, and the shaft carrying the switch means has rigidly mounted thereon a rotatable latch member 23 adapted to cooperate with a movable catch member 24 to latch the switch in on position when it is manually moved to such position. The catch member 24 has electrically operative release means in the form of a magnet 25 associated with it, so that when the switch is latched in the on position energization of the release circuit (comprisingl the wires 26 and 21) causes unlatching or release of the latching arrangement and re Vturn of the switch to off position by virtue of the force of the spring 22.

If the operator handling control unit D has turned his switch manually to the on position, he may control the receiver in desired manner. Manipulation of the switch I0 enables him to select the channel forreception if the receiver is provided with automatic tuning or shaft positioning apparatus. as for example the kind shown in Arthur A. Collins Patent 2,285,414 of June 9, 194.2; manipulation of the switch II enables the radio apparatus to be conditioned for the type of signal present on the channel selected; and operation of the volume control I2 enables the desired volume level to be secured. It will be apparent that turning the switch I3 to "on position thus enables the control unit rendered operative to control the radio apparatus, as a radio receiver, in desired manner. On the other hand,

vir the operator of control unit D should leave such unit, or be injured, without turning the switch to "oilm position, any other control unit can be caused to supersede the unit D and take over control ef the radio apparatus. Movement of the switch in some other control unit toward on position would cause the switch means corresponding to the finger 29o and contact 2Ie to be momentarily closed, providing a path from the negative power supply wire 23, for example, through the wire 2E and the magnet 25 to the wire 2l. which may be the positive side of the power supply circuit. Energization of the magnet 25 effects movement of the catch member 24 to the position shown in Figure 3, thus releasing the latch member 23 and allowing the switch in the unit D to return to the ofi position under the influence of the spring 22. On the other hand, as will be more fully apparent from the structural description to follow, the operator at the unit D may manually release the latch means and return the switch of his control unit to off position, by mere turning of the knob I3@ in a counterclockwise direction.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 4l-l0, it will be seen that the rotatable switch member 20, cooperating with the fixed contact assembly 2l, is mounted at the rear of a shaft 30 so as to be rotatable therewith. This shaft 30 passes through the magnet coil 25, the windings being within an outer shell 25d of magnetic material to increase the pull of the magnet. Mounted on the shaft 30 so as to be axially but non-rotatably movable is an armature member 3| having the catch member 2li rigidly attached thereto, this latter member being in the form of a disk or circular plate having tongue portions 24a stamped up to provide a catch shoulder. A pair of oppositely disposed lug portions, as the portion (Ila, lie in slots in the shell 25d and serve to prevent rotation of the armature member 3|, and thus of the latch member 23, The armature and catch member assembly is urged to the right (speaking with respect to Figure 6) by a spring 32, so that the catch shoulder 24a is adapted to engage latch shoulders 23o of the stamped in tongue portion of a latch disk or circular plate rigidly mounted on the shaft 38.

The knob i3d is mounted on a stub shaft 33 coaxial with the shaft 3S but not rigidly connected thereto, and the spring 22 normally urges this shaft in a counterclockwise direction. The inner end of this shaft 33 is provided with a plurality of fingers, here identified as the lingers 33h-d received in corresponding slots 23h-d in the plate 23. The slots are of substantially greater arcuate length than the width of the lingers received thereby, so that there is a lost motion connection between the shaft 33 and (through the plate 23) the shaft 30. As may be best seen in Figure 10, the inner ends of these fingers 33h-d are tapered, lying at an angle with the plane transverse to the shaft 30. These cam fingers are adapted to cooperate withthe radial spider portions 2lb-d best seen in Figure 9, so that counterclockwise rotation of the cam fingers from the position shown in Figure 8 to the limit of their movement in the slots effects axial movement .of the catch plate 24 to the left (speaking with respect to Figure 6) toward the magnet. This manually eilected movement is suiiicient to disengage the shoulders 23a and 24a and result in the spring 22 rotating the entire mechanism to the oi position. It will thus be apparent that grasping the knob i3d and rotating it clockwise will turn the switch to "on position, the action of the spring 32 causing engagement of the shoulders 23a and 24a to latch the switch in such position. If the operator of that control unit wishes to turn the switch oiI, the rst few degrees of counterclockwise rotation of the knob l3a operates through the manual release means just described to disengage the latching surface and permit the parts to return to ofi position.

On the other hand if the operator of any particular control unit has left the switch of his unit in the on position, rotation of the switch of any other control unit to on position momentarily energizes the magnet 25 and electrically eiIects release of the latching means and return of the switch to off position. It will be readily apparent that energization of the magnet 25 provides an axial pull upon the armature member 3|, this pull being arranged to be greater than the resistance of spring 32, so that the catch member 24 and armature 3| move to the left sufliciently to disengage the shoulders 23a and 24a. Because of the constant rotative tension of the spring 22, this release action results in the switch mechanism returning to off position when it is unlatched. Since the contact ilnger and xed contact operative to effect the unlatching action are only momentarily in contact with each other, there is no power used in the magnets of the switches of the control units, or in any portion of the control units, when the same are inoperative to control the radio apparatus. The release magnets are energized briefly during turning of any switch to on position, and this coincides with a brief energization eil'ected by some other switch returning to off position. The switch being turned to "on position is still being manually operated and has not yet been latched when the switch of some other unit returns to oit position, so that the brief energization of the magnet of the switch being turned to "on position comes at a time when it does not interfere with the subsequent latching of the switch in on position.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modiilcations. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a latching switch of the character described, apparatus including: switch means rotatable between fon and off positions, said means including a shaft; spring means urging said switch means toward one of such positions; a latch member plate coaxial with said shaft and rigidly connected to and rotatable with said switch; a catch member plate coaxial with said shaft and axially but not rotatably movable and adapted to be engaged by said latch mem- 6 ber for holding Vsaid switch in the other of said positions; a single manual operating member for moving said switch meansv to the position in;

which it is adapted to be latched and for manually moving said catch member to release said latch member when desired; and magnetic means for moving said catch member to release said latch member.

2. In a latching switch of the character described, apparatus including: switch means rotatable between on and ofi positions; spring means urging said switch means toward one of said positions; a shaft on which said switch means is rigidly mounted; a latch member disk rigidly mounted on said shaft and spaced from said switch means; a, catch member disk axially and not rotatable movable and mounted between said switch means and latch member disk and adjacent the latter, the catch member being adapted to be engaged by the latch member for holding the switch means in the other of said positions; a knob mounted on said shaft and having a lost motion connection for moving said switch means against the urging of said spring, the knob having operatively associated therewith means for mechanically moving said catch member disk axially to release said latch member disk; and electrically operative means for axially moving said catch member disk to release said latch member disk, this means comprising a coil surrounding said shaft between the switch means and the catch member disk.

3. In radio apparatus having a plurality of spaced control units operatively connected to the radio apparatus, control means for each unit including: means for rendering the unit operative to control the radio apparatus and for simultaneouslly rendering a previous operative control unit inoperative, this means comprising a switch, spring means urging said switch toward one position, latch means for holding said switch away from said position, manually operative release means for releasing said latch means, and separate electrically operative release means for releasing said latch means, the electrically operative release means in all of the control units being interconnected and each switch including contacts operating all of said electrically operative release means upon moving of said switch manually to a position rendering its control unit operative.

4. In radio apparatus having a plurality of spaced control units operatively connected to the radio apparatus, control means for each unit including: means for rendering the unit operative to control the radio apparatus and for simultaneously rendering a previous operative control unit inoperative, this means comprising a switch, spring means urging said switch toward one position, latch means for holding said switch away from said position, manually operative release means for releasing said latch means, and separate electrically operative release means for releasing said latch means, each switch including contacts for completing a release circuit upon moving of said switch manually to a position rendering its control unit operative, at least the previously operative control unit having its electrically operative release means in said release circuit for releasing its latch means upon said moving of said switch manually.

ROY H. OLSON.

(References on following page) 7 REFERENCES CITED The following references fare of record in `the l'e of f thi's patent:

UNTIED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Whtehorne July 25, 1905 Kimble No'v.. 12, 1912 Dowd Apr. 14, 1925 Hedges et a1 Mar. 9, 1926 Watson Nov. 16, 1926 Todd Dec. 24, 1929 McCoy A-pr. 7, 1931 Thompson Feb. 28, 1933 Hadano Mar. 2'1, 19,33 Burton Mar, 6, 1934 Cassedy Feb. 5, 1935 Number Number 15 484,740 v144,698 

